


late night search

by assortedwords



Series: one, ten, ten thousand (a3 week 2019) [1]
Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, Relationship Study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-14 00:11:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17497949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assortedwords/pseuds/assortedwords
Summary: Banri disappears in the middle of the night, and Juza realizes he cares more than he thought he did. (Set during Part 2, Act 6-ish.)Settsu’s bed is still empty.It bugs Juza the more he looks at it, for some reason.It doesn’t matter,he thinks, swatting away any concern before it even shows up. It might not even be that late. It might be pitch black outside, but…Well. Settsu’s old enough to take care of himself.Even if he doesn’t act like it.…Grudgingly, Juza climbs down his bunk to check his phone.





	late night search

It’s dark when Juza wakes up to an empty room.

It's not particularly surprising. Juza’s schedule rarely matches with Settsu outside of practice, and even in the late night Juza’s used to going to sleep in an empty room, Settsu still out wherever, doing whatever. Juza doesn’t know, and doesn’t really care to. Juza’s not his keeper. He has no right to criticize not being in bed at night when he’s the one disappearing on midnight runs to buy sweets with Tsumugi, anyway.

Besides, Settsu might have just gone to take a piss or something. Juza goes back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

And wakes up who knows how much later, his throat dry and jaw sore. He holds a hand to it absentmindedly, used to it.

Well, he might as well get something to drink now that he’s awake. Juza rubs his jaw and sits up groggily, blinking a few times to adjust to the dark.

Settsu’s bed is still empty.

It bugs Juza the more he looks at it, for some reason. _It doesn’t matter,_ he thinks, swatting away any concern before it even shows up. It might not even be that late. It might be pitch black outside, but…Well. Settsu’s old enough to take care of himself.

Even if he doesn’t act like it.

…

Grudgingly, Juza climbs down his bunk to check his phone.

2AM, his phone tells him cheerfully.

He hasn’t seen Settsu since dinner, come to think of it.

Juza stares at his phone.

Something kicks him into moving, slipping on a jacket and out of the room before he can dwell more on it. It’s the instinct that comes with being an older brother, he tells himself as he pulls the door shut with a quiet _click._  He’d worry about _anyone_ out at this hour, that’s all. And with Settsu a particular brand of reckless idiot, how’s Juza to _not_ wor—nevermind, actually.

He changes his line of thought instead. Juza doubts he’ll have to go far tonight—Settsu’s usually in at night, and the dorms aren’t that big. He should probably start with the lounge. He half-expects to find Settsu there already, chatting up a storm with Kazunari or Tenma or whoever else. (Despite his personality, Settsu seems to be able to hold a conversation with anyone just fine.) But no voices float towards him when he peeks in, only a single light, and a single figure.

“Tsumugi-san?”

Tsumugi looks up, surprised. “Juza-kun? What are you doing up so late?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Juza says, and winces inside. He hadn’t meant for that to come out so rudely.

But Tsumugi just laughs lightly, and waves at the table he’s sitting at. There’s a handful of textbooks open in front of him, as well as his laptop. “Notes for my students. I’ll go to bed soon.” He smiles at Juza. “What about you then? You have class tomorrow, don’t you?”

“Uh,” Juza says. Settsu’s friends with Tsumugi, isn’t he? Maybe Tsumugi knows something—Settsu’s staying somewhere else for the night, or something, and Juza can go back to sleep. “Settsu’s not in our room, so…” _I’m looking for him? I’m worried even though I don’t want to be?_ It feels like a blow to his pride to admit it, so Juza lets himself trail off and rephrases. Nothing changes—it’s the same sentiment only in different words, but it feels easier this way. Juza doesn’t have to think that much this way. “—Have you seen him?”

“Banri-kun?” Tsumugi says, his brows furrowing. “I don’t think I’ve seen him, but…” His expression turns thoughtful. “Have you checked the balcony? He said he goes there sometimes when he can’t sleep.”

“The balcony?” Juza repeats. He hadn’t known that, but then again, there are a lot of things he doesn’t know about Settsu. Though it doesn’t take a genius to figure out _can’t sleep_ probably meant Juza had been grinding his teeth too loudly for Settsu to sleep again, and a pang of guilt runs through him. “Thanks. I’ll try that.”

“I’m glad to be of help,” Tsumugi returns with a smile. “Feel free to ask again if you can’t find him.”

Juza nods, and turns to go.

 

* * *

 

The balcony is cool in the winter air, and shadowy in the night. A figure stands by the railing, obscured by the darkness. Juza’s shoulders relax. He hadn’t even realized they’d tensed.

“What are you doing here,” he starts to say, his voice turning harsher, falling into the usual push-and-pull he has with Settsu. He takes a few steps closer and blinks. Wait.

The shadow is too short to be Settsu, the outline too round. It takes him a few seconds to recognize it. “Hisoka-san?”

Hisoka tenses very quickly, very briefly, but turns to Juza with his usual blank expression. “Juza?”

…Well, yes, he is. “Isn’t it late?” Juza asks. It’s the same question Tsumugi asked him, but Juza doesn’t know what else to say.

Luckily Hisoka responds, sparing Juza from his own awkwardness. “…Mm. There’s a full moon, so I wanted to look at it,” he says quietly, and Juza gets the feeling he shouldn’t pry any more. “Are you out here for something?”  

“Settsu’s not in our room,” Juza starts. “I’m looking for him.”

Hisoka tilts his head. “...I haven’t seen him. Sorry.”

“It’s no problem.” Juza hadn’t expected Hisoka to have anyway. He sighs and leans on the railing next to Hisoka, easier to let his guard down under the dim moonlight. This search was turning out to be more trouble than it was worth. As expected of Settsu.

“Roommates are troublesome,” Hisoka says, watching him.

“Yeah,” Juza says.

Silence lapses between them for a few seconds.

“Mm, well,” Hisoka starts. “Where would you go, if you were Banri?”

The most obvious question when you were looking for something. Juza thinks the question over. If he were Settsu…? The same conclusion as before. He’d go to his friends. But there was barely anyone in sight at this hour, and Tsumugi’s guess hadn’t helped either…

Wait.

 _Itaru-san_. How had Juza not thought of that first? He kicks himself mentally. Even if Settsu wasn’t there, Itaru would probably know something, and Juza was pretty sure he’d be awake and in his room at this hour. “…Room 103. I think I’ll try that next.”

The look in Hisoka's eyes flattens. “Tell me if Chikage gives you a hard time, okay.”

“…Okay,” Juza says warily, deciding immediately that he would, in fact, not tell Hisoka if Chikage gave him a hard time. The two of them move like lightning when they want to, and Juza doesn’t want to be the reason an all-out battle breaks out in the dorms.

"And Juza,” Hisoka calls after him softly. Juza turns back. "Don't worry too much.”

 _I'm not,_ Juza is about to say, and realizes that standing here in the cool night air, looking for his roommate in the earliest hours of the morning, he has no way to say he isn’t.

 

* * *

 

There’s a sliver of light peeking out under the door of Room 103, and Juza breathes a sigh of relief. He knocks on the wood softly, hoping for an answer.

“Coming,” Chikage’s voice comes from inside. The door opens a crack, light flooding into the dark hallway and onto Juza. Chikage seems genuinely surprised to see him when he pokes his head out, eyes widening. “Juza? What are you doing here at this hour?”

“Is…Have you seen Settsu?” The words tumbles out before Juza can stop them.

“Oh?” Chikage says, his surprise melting away. He blocks the doorframe so Juza can’t see inside, grinning, and Juza starts to wish Itaru had been the one to open the door instead. _So this is what Hisoka-san meant._ Maybe Juza should have seen this coming. “Are you worried about him?”

“No, I—”

“Leave him alone,” Itaru’s voice comes, just as Chikage steps aside to let Juza in. Room 103 is unfamiliar, a replica of his own room structure with different furniture. Juza doesn’t take the time to take it in—his eyes zero in on what _is_ familiar, a silky one-length of hair flopped against Itaru’s shoulder on the couch, and Juza is almost weak-kneed with relief. And on the heels of that, something that feels like a complicated knot lodged somewhere in his chest. _When did I start caring so much?_

It’s uncomfortable.

“We didn’t wanna wake him up,” Itaru says, turning to look at Juza. Sort of. He can’t move much without disturbing Settsu, but Juza appreciates the gesture, and he’s grateful for the distraction. “We can now if you want, since he does have to go back to his room eventually.”

“No…” Juza says, his voice trailing off. Settsu looks _peaceful_ here. Settsu is always a whirlwind of emotions, a different set of expressions for every moment, but Juza can count on one hand the amount of times he’s seen Settsu like this, brow unfurrowed and his mouth relaxed, hair falling across his face. “He’s always complaining he can’t sleep because I grind my teeth, so I don’t think he’d be able to go back to sleep in our room.” He chews on his lip. “But I don’t want to trouble you, either…”

“Hm? It’s no trouble,” Chikage says, coming to lean against the sofa next to Itaru. The teasing grin from before is gone now, but Juza can never really tell when he’s sincere. The only thing he can count on now is for Itaru to interpret for him, and even he’s not always reliable. Juza feels kind of like he walked into a foxes’ den. “He can just sleep here for tonight. It doesn’t bother us.”

“Oh,” Juza says, wavering. “…Okay.”

It takes a bit of maneuvering, but Chikage shoos Itaru out of the way and moves Settsu easily, laying him down on the couch. Juza’s directed to grab a blanket and he puts it carefully over Settsu, freezing when he shifts.

Juza holds his breath and watches as Settsu only curls up onto his side, not waking, and Juza breathes a sigh of relief. He tucks him in gently, practiced after a lifetime of looking after Kumon, and pats his head out of habit.

Then he remembers where he is.

“You really are an older brother, aren’t you,” Chikage observes, grinning when Juza whips around, mortified.

“I,” Juza manages, and realizes he’s forgotten how to talk.

Itaru looks badly like he wants to laugh, and that makes Juza want to sink through the floor even more. “We won’t tell him anything you don’t want him to know,” Itaru promises.

 _You don’t look very sincere,_ Juza wants to say, but both of them are his seniors, so Juza holds his tongue. His eyes slide to Chikage instead. Chikage puts a hand over his heart in response. Better this than nothing at all, Juza supposes. Maybe he’s not being fair. Neither of them are bad people, mischievous as they are.

Well, in any case there’s nothing else to do now but trust. “Please don’t tell him anything at all,” Juza says, and bows. His pride wouldn’t be able to take Settsu knowing _anything_ about this—not that he got up to look for him, not that he genuinely got worried, and _definitely_ not that he tucked him in nice and gentle.

“Understood,” Chikage says when Juza straightens up, a softer smile on his face. “You were never here. Banri just fell asleep here, so we left him on the couch and went to sleep ourselves.”

“Worry not,” Itaru adds, his voice lowering an octave. He covers one eye with his hand and moves the other one out in an arc dramatically. “I, the Demon King, have erased all memory of your presence here tonight…!”

All he gets in response is silence. Chikage’s eyes go dead.

“Uh,” Juza says. A favour is a favour, even if it was worded oddly. “Thank you. I think.”

“Don’t mention it,” Itaru says, unfazed.

 

* * *

 

As he leaves Room 103 he realizes he never got the drink he got up for, so Juza makes his way back through the lounge and into the kitchen, the lights off and Tsumugi gone now.

Juza doesn’t turn on the light, his eyes having already adjusted to the dark. Sakyo would probably approve, he thinks as he rinses a cup is under the tap and sticks it under the water dispenser. Even if he only would have had it on for a few minutes, saving electricity is saving electricity.

One cup isn’t enough, so he puts it under the dispenser again and listens to the water roll down. Maybe he should have gotten his water bottle from the room or something. Oh well. He supposes it won’t take long.

He’s in the middle of his second cup when the lights flood on, and Juza blinks hard through the light at the doorway. Who else is he going to see tonight?

He squints as he catches a flash of piercings and silky hair, and wills down the surge of supreme irritation. For fuck’s sake. Juza spends his night looking for him, and finally meets him when he _isn’t_ looking. Fine. At this point Juza’s just glad Settsu never woke up during—

“ _HYODO?!”_

Never mind, end that sentence there. Juza wishes Settsu hadn’t woken up, period.

“The fuck are you doing here,” Settsu grumbles, quieter this time. Juza thanks the universe internally. Settsu brushes past him to pick up another cup and repeats the same movements Juza had a minute ago, putting it under the dispenser and pressing the button.

“Same as you,” Juza says, motioning to his cup.

Settsu makes an irritated noise instead of replying, and Juza hides a smirk behind his cup. His win. “Anyway, I fell asleep in Itaru-san’s and Chikage-san’s room, but you probably didn’t even notice,” Settsu says, reaching over to get his cup. “What woke you up, anyway? You’d probably sleep through a fucking earthquake.”

Juza has, actually, but he refuses to admit that right now. He waves his cup at Settsu again in answer, and Settsu scowls. “Whatever.” He downs his cup in three gulps and flicks on the tap, washing his cup.

“You done yet?” he asks Juza, holding his hand out. “Give it.”

Juza blinks at him, surprised. Settsu bristles. “What?”

“...Nothing,” Juza says, and hands Settsu his cup. “Where…I mean, are you going to go back to sleep in our room?”

“Well, yeah,” Settsu says. He washes Juza’s cup too and puts it next to his on the dish rack, turning off the tap. “Where else would I go?”

Juza shrugs, steadfastly staring at the counter. “You’re always saying you can’t sleep because of me, so.”

“I can’t,” Settsu says bluntly. He turns his heel and makes to walk out of the kitchen, leaving Juza. “But it’s my damn room too. You won’t keep me out of it.”

Somehow it’s that that lightens the weight in Juza’s chest, and he feels a smile tugging at his mouth. Juza shoves it back down just before Settsu looks back, his hand on the light switch. “You coming or not?”

“You talk too much,” Juza returns, and goes after him.

**Author's Note:**

> [prompt](https://twitter.com/a3_week) || day 5: rivals (beta'd by the lovely [kurokeitos,](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurokeitos) who has a cool mezzo" fic u should check out :D)
> 
> this came out more like a day 6 roommates fill w. i feel oddly like i wrote juza a rpg quest...check different locations and ask different people in order to find what you desire...
> 
> banjuza has intrigued me all the way since before i got into A3, but when i finally got into it i felt like it was a lot of banri --> juza and not the other way around, so i decided to try and read between the lines and figure out how juza felt about banri. this was the result, gestures.
> 
> "i don't know anything about settsu," juza says in this fic as he narrates his way through a list of fun facts about banri
> 
> thank you for reading! see you tomorrow for day 6!


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